4/26/13

Recipe: Vegan Cacoa Cherry Vanilla Cashew Cream Smoothie

Do you know what children's book the cashew smoothie is on?

Recently, I bought a delicious "cleanse" type drink at Whole Foods for $6.99. It was really yuumy, filling, but man, so friggin' expensive. The ingredients were simple: cashews, sweetener, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water. Since I wanted it again, but knew I could make it at home for much less. Being me, I had to put my own twist on it and came up with this smoothie recipe. Still yummy, but a bit thicker and with a smidgen more nutrients in it!

I know lots of people tend to stay away from fats when they diet and I can understand that. Fats are generally loaded with dense amounts of calories, but we really need to consume healthy fats because, well, your body needs fats to function properly. Cashews are a great source of those healthy fats. Among some of the many health benefits of cashews are they have: loads of heart healthy mono-unsaturareted fats, tons of magnesium good for healthy bones, nerves, muscles, lowering blood pressure, and properties which help prevent of gallstones! Phew!

I also added super good for you chia seeds (omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, iron, protein), flax (fiber, ALAs, lowers cholesterol, helps your heart, anti-inflamatory), raw cacoa (minerals, vitamins, mood booster, antioxidant), raisins (fiber, minerals, iron), cinnamon (helps lower insulin, cancer prevention, anti-bacterial) and cherries (vitamins, anti-inflamatory, anti-oxidants). In any case, yes, this smoothie is good for you, but more importantly, it tastes awesome and is very satisfying. What a great way to start the morning!